Chapter 126| What Kael Knows

Chapter 126: Chapter 126| What Kael Knows

"The NSA issued field intelligence that identified the Harbor Collapse site as a standard containment operation," Kael said. "Category C threat. Two to three heroes max needed. No civilian involvement in the immediate perimeter." He looked at the communicator screen. "What was actually there was a Category S operation. The kind that required a coordinated NSA full response team — not two heroes and a field lead. An experimental Sigil construct that the intelligence division hadn’t flagged at all." A pause. "Garrett Calloway went in with two other heroes thinking it was a cleanup job.The fact that he lasted as long as he did before the collapse, that was the S-rank talking."

Zane looked at the table.

’Category C,’ he thought. ’Garrett went in expecting a standard containment. Found something significantly above that.’

’And the intelligence failure wasn’t random,’ he thought. ’Someone missed it or didn’t pass it up.’

"Which one," he said. "Missed it or didn’t pass it up."

Kael looked at him directly.

"My father believes it was deliberate," he said. "He filed a report after the Harbor Collapse. The NSA reviewed it. Classified it. Filed it under Harbor Collapse — internal review pending." He paused. "That review has been pending for three years."

The table was quiet.

’Deliberate,’ Zane thought. ’The intelligence failure that got Garrett Calloway killed was deliberate.’

’Someone knew what was at the Harbor Collapse site,’ he thought. ’And didn’t tell the field unit.’

The system surfaced.

『 System Note: Deliberate intelligence suppression in an NSA field operation constitutes a Category One internal breach. The system notes this information has been classified for three years without resolution. The system also notes Operation Glasswall — Harbor Collapse Adjacent — suggests the same actors who operated the artificial Sigil construction facility are connected to whatever was at the Harbor Collapse site. 』

『 The system notes the host now has more complete information than he had yesterday. The system notes this is not yet complete information. 』

’Not yet,’ Zane thought.

He looked at Kael.

"The artificial Sigil operation," he said. "Operation Glasswall. What’s the connection."

Kael reached into his bag. Pulled out a physical folder — paper, not tablet. The specific choice of someone who had decided certain information shouldn’t exist in a system that could be remotely accessed.

He opened it to a specific page. Turned it toward Zane.

A diagram. Hand drawn. Names and operation codes connected by lines in Kael’s precise handwriting.

At the top — HARBOR COLLAPSE.

Connected by a line to — ARTIFICIAL SIGIL RESEARCH — OPERATION ORIGIN.

Connected by another line to — OPERATION GLASSWALL — CURRENT.

"The Harbor Collapse site," Kael said. "What the NSA classified as a Category C containment. My father believes it was actually an early stage artificial Sigil research facility. Not production — research. Testing whether Sigils could be artificially replicated outside of natural awakening."

Zane looked at the diagram.

’Artificial Sigil research,’ he thought. ’Three years ago. At the Harbor Collapse site. And Garrett Calloway walked into it without knowing what it was because someone made sure the intelligence said something different.’

’And now Operation Glasswall,’ he thought. ’The same operation. Three years later. Still running. Watching hero academies.’

’Watching Aldren,’ he thought.

"Why hero academies," he said.

Kael looked at him.

"Because hero academies are where the highest concentration of natural Sigil bearers exist at a formative stage," he said. "If you’re researching artificial Sigil replication — understanding natural Sigil development in controlled conditions is the most efficient research base available."

Zane looked at the diagram.

’They’re watching students,’ he thought. ’Not looking for a fight. Looking for data.’

’Looking at how natural Sigils develop,’ he thought. ’And comparing it to whatever they’re building.’

He looked at Kael.

"Does Dex know any of this," he said.

"No," Kael said. "And I’d like to keep it that way for now. Dex carries enough." He closed the folder. Slid it toward Zane. "Take it. I’ve memorised everything in it."

Zane looked at the folder.

Then picked it up.

"Why are you telling me this," he said.

Kael looked at him with the expression that had been running the same calculation since the trials observation rail and had apparently arrived at a conclusion sometime between then and now.

"Because your name is Calloway," he said. "And whatever is in Operation Glasswall’s current scope — you’re not a random student to them. You’re Sovereign’s son at Sovereign’s academy." A pause. "That means something to whoever is watching."

Zane held the folder.

The fifth floor common area went quiet around them.

’Sovereign’s son,’ he thought. ’At Sovereign’s academy. To people who were connected to what got the Sovereign killed.’

’That means something,’ he thought.

He stood up.

"Thank you," he said. "At least even if I didn’t get the full picture, I got a glimpse of what got him killed."

Kael looked at him for a moment.

"That’s more than most people have," he said quietly. "Including the NSA review board apparently."

Kael picked up his cold cup. "NSA assessment is in five days. Whatever you show them — be deliberate about it. The NSA field operations division has a file on the Harbor Collapse that three years of internal review hasn’t closed. Some of the people in that division are not people you want deciding what your classification looks like."

Zane looked at him.

"Thanks for the advice," he said.

He turned and walked out.

_ _

The corridor from the fifth floor common area back toward the first year block ran through the academic section of the building. Past the classroom block, past the theory rooms, past the internal corridor that connected the academic wing to the dormitory building.

Zane took the classroom route.

Longer. Quieter at this hour. He checked the time on his communicator — 1:18 PM. The academic block emptier than the main corridor during lunch period. Most students still in the cafeteria or the common areas. The classroom corridor running its between-sessions quiet.

He walked with the folder under his arm and Kael’s words still sitting in his head.

Deliberate intelligence suppression.

Sovereign’s son at Sovereign’s academy.

Some of the people in that division are not people you want deciding what your classification looks like.

The system surfaced.

『 NEW QUEST UNLOCKED 』

『 Task: Perform any ecchi interaction with a female 』

『 Reward: +20% Gacha meter — one time 』

『 Time limit: 48 hours 』

『 Penalty for non-completion: Abnormally high libido — duration unknown 』

Zane stopped walking.

Looked at the notification.

Zane stared at that last line.

’Abnormally high libido,’ he thought. ’The system is threatening me with hormones.’

The system surfaced.

『 The system does not make threats. The system outlines consequences. 』

’Same thing,’ he thought.

『 The system disagrees. 』

’Either way,’ he thought. ’I wonder how abnormal my libido can actually get. Will I just start walking around with my dick bulging out from my trousers or do I turn into some kind of wild beast. Between, I wouldn’t want to find out.’

The system surfaced.

『 The system is genuinely curious about the outcome. The system notes it would be interesting data. 』

’Interesting data,’ he thought. ’You’d let me suffer for interesting data.’

『 The system notes the host has 48 hours to avoid finding out. The system recommends using them. 』

He kept walking.

’48 hours,’ he thought. ’Fine. Not like I was going to avoid women for 48 hours anyway.’

『 The system notes the host’s confidence. The system is watching the clock. 』

’Damn,’ he sighed mentally. ’What a time for a quest.’ He looked at the corridor. ’And between, I thought only passive ecchi activity filled the Gacha meter.’

The system surfaced.

『 The Gacha meter fills through passive ecchi activity. This quest reward is exclusive and separate from that mechanic. A direct bonus. One time only. 』

’I see,’ he thought. ’So this stacks on top of whatever the meter is already at.’

He kept walking.

Turned the corner into the classroom corridor.

A hand shot out from the bathroom door on his left.

Grabbed his arm.

Pulled him inside before he processed what was happening.

The bathroom door clicked shut behind him.